Pippin's Swimming Lessons
by Nevweh
Summary: Pippin has a dream that he's drowning, and his mother decides it's time for swimming lessons. Plus, Pippin's mom wants to save money, so she makes Pippin wear Pearl's old,girly,Swimming suit.
1. Pippin's Dream

Pippin's Swimming Lessons  
  
Pippin was drowning! He couldn't breath, and something, something vast and animal-like was covering him so he could not get to the surface of the water.  
  
"Pippin! What are you doing?" Asked a voice that seemed to be above the water. Some one shook him as he struggled, kicking and punching. "Pippin!"  
  
Pippin woke up. Above his head were his sheets, and on his face was a pillow. He had been dreaming. He groaned, and sat up.  
  
He was very displeased to see that Merry was laughing, rolling on the ground. Merry controlled himself just enough to point at Pippin and say "What were you DREAMING of?" and laughed some more.  
  
"I was. drowning," said Pippin and blushed. This made Merry laugh so hard he cried.  
  
"That ISN'T fun----," said Pippin, but was rudely interrupted as an apple hit his head. Frodo walked in, obviously proud of his aim.  
  
"Haha! Pippin, you old donkey!" He said, and laughed as Merry had.  
  
Just then, Pippin's mother walked in. "Peregrin, I think it is about time you've had swimming lessons," she said.  
  
"YOU saw me too?" Pippin asked, and looked back at his mother. "SWIMMING LESSONS?"  
  
"Yes, and I think we have one of Pearl's swimming suits you could borrow! To save money." She said, and Frodo and Merry cracked up.  
  
"Mom! I'm a boy! I wear lad-hobbit clothing!" Pippin said, glaring at his "friends."  
  
"Oh well! No one will know the difference. You will have to live with it, since we need the money to help buy a new hobbit-hole. Ours is very small, if you haven't noticed," she said, and Pippin almost cried.  
  
"I'll go sign you up. Go to Pearl's room and get her swimming suit," She said. "But----" Pippin argued, but his mother had already left. By now, both Merry and Frodo had almost wet their pants.  
  
"Go on, get it! Your mother told you. I'll tell her if you don't!" said Merry, and they fell rolling on the ground once again.  
  
"Why do I even call you my friends?" Pippin grumbled as he left the room. He lit a candle, and walked into Pearl's room. He stepped inside and opened her dresser drawer. There it was. He didn't even have to look hard. And it was HIDEOUS.  
  
******* Do you like it? Hate it? Please tell me! More soon! **************** 


	2. A Plethera of Ugly Bathing Suits

Pippin gagged. It was purple, with pink flowers on the straps. (As you know, it didn't look anything like what we wear today, because real swimming suits weren't invented back in Pip's day) He had to WEAR it. It was a hobbit-lad's worst nightmare (even worse than a drowning-dream!).  
  
"Yes, that's it. Try it on to see if it fits, and I'll be in your room. I want to see it on you," Pippin's mother said, and Pip jumped. Oh. No. Pippin thought.  
  
"But-----" Pippin said, but, again, his mother had already left. This was torture. How could she DO this to him, he thought, I'm her SON! I think I shall cry soon!  
  
Pip looked back at the ugly piece of cloth. It was horrible. It was nothing a hobbit-lad would wear. A tear trickled down Pippin's cheek. It was more like a dress, as all hobbit-lass's suits are. Hobbit lad's looked more . mature!  
  
He cringed as he started putting it on. Merry and Frodo will never forgive me for this! Pip thought. Another tear dripped down his face. Then, he wondered if his lessons would be alone. Or would they be with the younger hobbit-lads who wet themselves in the swimming-hole? They, at least, would have decent swimming suits.  
  
He closed his eyes when he reached his room. The suit was tight on him. Merry and Frodo were crying. He heard a series of thumping on the ground, and Pippin opened one eye to see that Frodo was thumping his fist against the floor.  
  
"Mrs. Took-giggle-may I-gasp- use your restroom?" Merry choked out hysterically.  
  
"Yes, boys. Stop it though. You should be ashamed of yourselves," He heard his mother say.  
  
"I think that I will ask Saradoc (Merry's father) for a better suit. It doesn't seem to fit you!" Said his mother. Pippin almost cried not of sadness, but of rejoice.  
  
"Or maybe I could take of the flowers. and then I could sew it so it fits!" She said, and Pippin's heart dropped lower than the ugly THING that was on him now (which was just above his knee).  
  
"I think it would be a great idea to ask someone for a better----" Pippin started, but his mother yet again interrupted.  
  
"I know! In the cellar your father kept some belongings. Maybe he has a better-fitting suit. I will go check," She said, and disappeared around the small and dark hallway.  
  
She returned shortly, as the cellar was not too big, and all of the possessions of one person were kept in one individual crate. To Pip's horror, she returned with something so hideous, that he nearly threw up.  
  
She was holding up a dress-like bathing suit, only it was more lad-like (thankfully for Pippin's behalf), but was so ugly that Pippin chocked back tears again.  
  
It was like a very mediocre patchwork quilt. The sides had a sickly green set of patches, and the sleeves were a bright yellow. The collar was a mix of squared tints of orange, had purple polka dots. The leggings were all mixed; it was made of every color imaginable, but it seemed to Pippin that they were purposely placed together so that they were set by a patch that did not match the one next to it. It was worse than Pearl's suit by far.  
  
The worst thing was that it looked exactly the right size for Pip. And, when he did try on the smelly disgusting thing, this theory proved unfortunately right. Another tear trickled down Peregrin's cheek as he watched his friends laugh at him. And, he thought, there will be many more laughs to come .  
  
"Why do you laugh at me? It isn't my fault! I do not wish to speak with you in a while. Please ...LEAVE!" Pippin shouted at his "friends." Then he ran off to his older sister's room, which was lockable and empty.  
  
************Please tell me how you like it! Or Hate it. It doesn't matter ... Well, I should tell you that the year of this story is in (Shire reckoning) the year 1400.Pippin is 10. Thanks for reviewing. More Soon. Please correct me if I'm wrong about anything in Middle-Earth. ********************* 


	3. Walking on a Rainy Day

Pippin started crying. It was horrible and unfair. First his friends laugh at him, and now he had to wear the Middle Earth's ugliest swimming suit.  
  
"Pip, its me. Your mother said I could come in . are you mad? I saw Mr. Frodo and Mr. Merry leave a second ago," came a voice through the door.  
  
Good, Pippin thought. They left! "Who are you?" Pippin asked angrily, though he had a hunch who it was.  
  
"Sam, Mr. Pippin! Samwise Gamgee," Sam said through the locked door.  
  
"Awww gee, Sam. You haven't laughed at me yet. Let me change and I'll let you in," Pippin said tearfully. He wiped his nose and dressed in the clothes he had left in the room.  
  
Pippin creaked the door open and sniffed. "Your mum told me what ye have to do, Mr. Pippin. It's darn horrible if you ask me. Ah well," Samwise said.  
  
"Not 'ah well,' I'm afraid .. Look!" Pippin pointed to the ugly piece of cloth on the bed. Sam cringed, and another tear dripped down Pippin's face.  
  
"It's okay, Mr. Pippin, but your mum's calling," Sam said pointing to Pip's mother.  
  
"Yes, Peregrin, it is time to meet with Mr. Goodbody for lessons. It's raining, so you will not be doing anything today," Mrs. Took said from the hall. Pippin looked out the window. It WAS raining. He was lucky for that, at least.  
  
"Well, Sam, as you see I must leave," said Pippin sadly.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Pippin," Sam said, and his head drooped.  
  
"Sam, you don't have to call me 'mister!' I'm younger than you," said Pippin.  
  
"Ok, Mr. Pippin," Sam said, and with that left out into the hall. Pip heard Sam say goodbye to his mother, and noted that he said "Mrs." Took, not "Pippin's mother."  
  
"Come on Pippin, let's go," Pip's mother said, and left the bedroom. Pippin shuddered and felt cold. He hated this, all of it.  
  
Pippin put his cloak on, and followed his mother onto the muddy path leading to the Swimming Teacher's home. Pip tried to hold back tears.  
  
By the time they reached Mr. Goodbody's hobbit-hole, (which took quite a while) Pippin was soaked. The Mother and Son walked up the cold steps and knocked upon a yellow door. In the lawn, there was a great swimming hole, with a dock. The sky was gray and thunder rolled in the distance.  
  
They stood outside the door for a good few minutes, sitting in the rain until they heard footsteps. The door swung open, and a short hobbit stepped in the doorway. "Ah," he said, "Mrs. Took! And is this ... Peregrin? My how little you are." Pippin scowled.  
  
"Yes, come in! Come in! I have some tea prepared," said Mr. Goodbody. They stepped inside, and the hobbit took their gangly and wet coats.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Goodbody. We would like to talk about .. swimming lessons."  
*********** Love it? Hate it? Please tell! Thanks for reviewing. More Soon*************** 


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